A Haunted Kiss
by Sydrianfan4ever
Summary: The war is over. Hermione has been avoiding her friends because she has been trying to spare Ron a broken heart when she realized that she didn't have any feelings for him. What happens to the three friends after the war is over? Where will they go next? This story is AU. The characters that are in the story are the twins, Harry& Ginny, and Ron & Lavender.
1. Chapter 1

**Authors note: Hello everybody! I don't think this will be a song fanfic. I may just have lyrics here and there if they are fitting for the mood. I just thought that the ones below were fitting for this chapter. This is my second fanfiction I have written in awhile. Disclaimer: I do not own the lovely world of Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling gets the credit for creating this world along with the characters! I hope you like this story. This will most likely be a multi-chapter story. I have a few ideas to work with. Please review!**

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_Long lost words whisper slowly to me  
Still can't find what keeps me here  
When all this time I've been so hollow inside  
I know you're still there_

**Lyrics from Haunted by Evanescence**

That kiss was all Hermione Granger could think about. It was a kiss that meant everything to her, though at the same time, it meant nothing to her. That broke her heart because she wanted to want it to mean something. It made sense to want it. However, she could not force love. She didn't want to ever do that.

Hermione Granger sighed as she replayed the kiss that had happened between her and Ron Weasley during the battle of Hogwarts. Harry was off with Luna, looking for the Ravenclaw diadem. Ron had gotten the idea that the Basilisk's teeth would still be good to destroy horcruxs, so they went down to the Chamber of Secrets to get one. She had been so proud of him during those moments. He was so brave, and brilliant. Hermione thought that she had seen Ronald in a different light during those moments.

Ron let her destroy Helga's Hufflepuff Cup there, one of the horcruxs. They stared into each other's eyes after, and she could not help but wonder if he was going to kiss her. Hermione made herself relax as he seemed to move even closer, slowly. At that moment, she wanted the kiss. But at the same time, the idea of it terrified her. All of her thoughts escaped her when he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. It felt like they never going to get the chance to kiss each other again because of the way he was kissing her. Hermione had thought that she would feel something after spending months thinking that she might have feelings for Ronald. She wanted to feel something in it, because she knew that he did.

When they pulled away moments later, she was disappointed to realize that she did not feel anything at all. He had smiled at her and reached for her hand. The look that he gave her crushed her. He looked at her like he thought she was the most wonderful thing in the world. Hermione knew better though. She was not anything close to what he thought she was right now. They started walking toward where the battle was going on. She did not have the heart to say anything about the kiss and her feelings then. They were about to walk into battle after all. They both needed to be prepared for anything. If she broke his heart now, there was no telling what would happen to him. Hermione might not be in love with Ronald, but she knew that she would hate herself if anything happened to him.

* * *

Weeks had passed since Lord Voldemort had been defeated. Hermione last saw her two best friends when they destroyed the Elder Wand. Harry had destroyed it because he thought that it caused more trouble than good for everybody. Hermione had thought that Harry was reasonable, but Ronald looked a little green at the thought of destroying the unbeatable wand. Hermione had spent the past few weeks volunteering at St. Mungo's. They needed extra Healer's, and she wanted to help people that had been hurt in the war. She was glad that it was over, though things would not be normal for a long time. Staying busy did not help get rid of that ache that she had in her heart. She missed her best friends. She thought about writing to them after her volunteer shift ended. Hermione was going to head to Australia in a few days to bring her parents home. She thought that she should at least write her friends to let them know where she was going in case they were wondering about her.

A smile appeared on her lips as she thought about seeing her parents again. She missed them so much during the past year, though she knew that she had done the right thing by modifying their memories, changing their names and putting them in hiding. It had been for their safety when the war was going on. When she got home that day, she had just settled into her flat in Diagon Ally and was beginning to write her friends a letter when she heard a knock on the door.

She checked the peephole to see who it was, and blinked in surprise when she saw that it was Ronald. Hermione quickly opened the door to let him in. "Ron!" She said, unable to keep the tone of curiosity out of her voice. "What are you doing here? You are soaked! Come sit by the fire, and I will get you a towel!" She noticed that it was storming for the first time. The rain had made her think of their first kiss, though Hermione did not want to dwell on it too much.

"No, no, you don't have to do all that. I just wanted to see you," Ron said quickly, and Hermione stopped in her tracks. Her guard was up again, she couldn't help it.

"Ok…is anything wrong?" She asked nervously, knowing that they never really needed an excuse to see each other before the kiss.

"No…actually, do you have any hot tea? I could use that now!" Ronald said, and Hermione noticed that he had changed the subject quickly.

"I can make some for you," Hermione said, glad that she had a distraction. She knew that she was making things more difficult than they had to be, but she hated these situations. The last time she had to deal with boy problems was when she was with Viktor Krum. That breakup had been easier because it was by a letter. She could not exactly break up with Ron through a letter right now. After all, they weren't even dating. They had just kissed once.

She bustled about in her kitchen, getting the tea ready and stared out the window. _How much longer was she going to pull this off?_ She wondered to herself. She could not avoid Ronald forever, especially when he was right in her living room! Hermione hated knowing that this was going to crush his heart.

Hermione grabbed a teacup from the cabinet and said loudly, "Hey Ron, do you want some honey in your tea?" She had forgotten if he liked honey at all. She waited a few seconds, but there was silence. She frowned and started to turn around. "Ronald?"

She turned around to take a step, but she was startled when she saw him there on his knee. The sight made her drop the teacup, but she took no notice of it, not even when it crashed and broke on the floor.

"Oh my gosh!" She said faintly as she covered her mouth with her hands in shock. _This was not happening. This was not happening! Maybe it is not what I think it is. Maybe he just had to tie his shoe… _Hermione looked down to see if that was the case, but he was staring at her the same way that he had after they kissed. Her heart leapt to her throat, though it was not in a good way. She was surprised that she had not even heard him come up behind her. Hermione wished she had, though she knew that it would not have done any good right now. She swallowed nervously as Ron cleared his throat and reached for something in his pocket.

The movement made her panic inside, though all she could do right then was stare at him with wide eyes.

"Hermione Granger…" Ron nervously held the box open, and inside was a beautiful ring. It was silver, with just a small, simple diamond on it. Tears threatened to come out of her eyes, and she backed into the kitchen stove, accidently knocking the kettle over this time. Tea spilled onto the floor, but she took no notice of that either. All she could do then was watch the scene before her. Ron cleared his throat nervously again, before speaking again.

"I have loved you for awhile now. When we kissed, everything seemed to have made sense. Everything that had happened to me so far up to that moment fell into place. You make me want to be a better person. Basically what I am trying to say is…" he chuckled nervously, but never took his eyes off her.

"Will you marry me?"

* * *

Hermione was sure that she had turned pale right after he asked her. Her mind was spinning, though she knew that she could not put this off anymore. She never pretended to have feelings for him. She could not start that either, no matter how much she wished for this to happen a different way.

She knelt down finally and closed his hands slowly. A startled look appeared in his eyes, but Hermione shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry Ronald," she began gently, hoping that her voice sounded sincere. "I can't marry you. I'm not the one for you." Her voice broke, and tears came down her face as she quickly got up.

Ron got up as well, though she wished that he had not followed her. "Hermione…I thought we had something. Did I just imagine things?" He asked her, and she sniffed before wiping her eyes to look at him again.

"I thought there was something," she began softly. "I wanted it to be real. But there wasn't anything there for me. I didn't feel that _spark, _you know? I don't have those feelings you are supposed to have when you are in love," she said sadly, and his face fell. Hermione turned away as guilt rushed through her. How many times was she going to have to do this before she met the right one?

"We can just date each other for awhile and see if anything happens. Love takes time sometimes. We never really dated at all. Let's go out on a date," Ron said hopefully, trying to talk her into this.

Hermione shook her head, knowing that she was probably being stubborn about this. "  
I wouldn't be true to myself. You can't make love happen. It just…happens. I'm sorry. I just can't be with you like that."

Ron had grown quiet for several moments, so she met his eyes again and saw that a look of anger appeared on his face. She opened her mouth to speak, but then decided not to. Fighting wasn't going to be a good way to solve this problem. Ron looked like he wanted to say something to her, but twice he thought better of it and instead stormed out of the room.

"Ronald?" she asked, following him out of the room. He glared at her before picking up his jacket and opened the door. "RON!" She cried out, and rushed forward. "Don't leave like this, please! You always leave like this! Why do you always leave when there is conflict between us?" She demanded, following him outside into the rain. He stopped for a second and turned toward her. "I always walk out because it keeps me from saying something that I might regret later," he said coolly. Hermione took a step forward toward him to bring him back inside, but he had disapperated into the air before she could reach him. "RON WEASLEY!" She shouted angrily. Oh, she hated him at this moment. She knew this wasn't going to end well once she told him no, but she had hoped that he would at least let them finish their talk. Fear crashed through her as she pictured his angry expression again. He had never looked at her like that before.

Hermione Granger was sure that she had just lost one of her best friends. The sudden thought made her sink to her knees on the ground as tears started pouring down her face. This was not how she wanted this to go at all. "I'm sorry," she whispered, knowing that he was long gone. There was probably nothing she could do to fix it either.

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**Author's Note: Thanks for reading! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Hey everybody! I am so sorry for accidently posting this story three times. I accidently uploaded the first chapter twice before finally getting this chapter up. I am new to this site so it took me a bit to figure out how to post new chapters. I hope you didn't mind that mistake too much! Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter! I love reviews! Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling does. I am just writing this story for fun. I will try to update this quicker.**

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A month had passed since Ronald Weasley had proposed to Hermione Granger. Shortly after Ron proposed to her, she had gone to Australia to visit her aunt and parents. She had been hoping to modify their memories and bring them home. But Hermione had learned from her aunt that her parents had died. They had been found by one of Lord Voldemort's followers. The news had buried her with guilt, and she had kept to herself since she had gotten back from Australia. It was the hardest month ever. She had not been able to speak to either of her best friends, though she desperately missed them. Hermione knew that Harry would be able to understand what it was like to lose parents, but being around him would make her think of Ron. She knew that he would not want to talk to her any time soon because of Ron.

He obviously would have sided with Ron about the proposal since they had been best friends first. In the past, Harry had sometimes sided with Ron, and she felt like this would be one of those times. She made her way down Diagon Alley toward her flat when she ran into somebody.

"Everything in the store is 50% off today! Come on in and shop for a relative's birthday! Heck, shop for Christmas for all we care!" Hermione's eyes widened when she saw that she had ran into one of the Weasley twins. Her heart sank.

_ Of course._ She was bound to run into them at one time or another since they lived in the same perimeter now. George Weasley must have spotted her right when she turned away because she heard his voice call after her. "Hey, Granger! Wait!" He grabbed her arm and Hermione sighed as she stopped walking away and turned toward him. There was no way around avoiding him now. "I'm sorry for running into you. Can we just not do this whole friends thing? Please?"

George shook his head, and she was startled to see that his expression was serious. "No…Fred and I have been hoping to talk to you. He is on a business trip now though. Can you come in? Please? I'll fix you lunch! The only thing that I have mastered cooking is grilled cheese…but it is amazing."

Hermione looked up and sighed while trying to think of a reason that would get her out of this. She thought that taking care of Crookshanks would not slide by George. "All right," she answered quietly. She managed to give George a small smile when he grinned at her and opened the door for her. She waited for him while he locked the door and put a sign that said out to lunch on it.

* * *

"I'll have anything but tea," Hermione said quickly as they walked through the twins shop. George glanced back at her curiously but nodded when she said that. Tea made Hermione think of a certain redhead, and she could not handle thinking of him right now. She wished she did not have to be around George either, but he was not really the one she was mad at. She decided she would rather be around him instead. Hermione glanced around the shop as the two went up the stairs.

"How is business?" She asked, deciding to try to make conversation. George shrugged. "It has been picking up again since the war was over. It is nothing to complain about at all." Hermione nodded in response as they made their way into the twin's flat. Hermione did not speak again until George asked her how she wanted her sandwich. Lunch was rather quiet since the two were making small talk with each other. Hermione tried to listen but she kept tuning out. She finally paid attention when George grew serious again.

"Listen Hermione… I am sorry about how things turned out with Ron. We heard that he proposed to you." Hermione flushed as she met George's eyes. She should have known that everyone in his family would have heard about this. "It is ok… I turned him down," she murmured softly, looking embarrassed. "How is he?"

George shrugged nonchalantly. "Honestly… he's not that great. But we're not upset with you. We were surprised that you had begun dating at all really."

Hermione sighed as she realized that the family assumed that they were dating. "We never really dated," she informed him lightly. "I just thought… there was something there. We kissed during the battle of Hogwarts and I didn't have any feelings then. I did not mean to lead him on," she said, defending herself as George held his hands up in defense.

"I'm not judging you," he answered honestly. "Truthfully, I think you deserve better." Hermione blinked in surprise. "Really?" she asked, and he nodded. "Yeah, Ron had been a jerk to you in the past too many times to count. We were surprised that things had changed for you at all." Hermione thought of the times Ron made her cry. There was the time they fought over the Yule Ball dates, and when he thought her cat ate his old pet rat. And then there was the night of their proposal as well.

"Yeah," Hermione murmured quietly. George's comment made her think of more memories between her two best friends. Her mind went to their recent adventures, though those memories caused her to get tears in her eyes. She saw his eyes grow wide as he walked over to her and hunched down beside her. "Hey, I did not mean to make you cry over him…I'm sorry," George said softly, as Hermione shook her head and sniffled.

"No, no… it's not just that. I recently found out that my parents...they…they died… they were killed by one of the Death Eaters." Tears strolled down when she said those words. George paled and his expression grew sober. "Oh, Hermione… I'm so sorry," George said quietly. He reached over and hugged her, though the gesture seemed to have made her cry even harder. George was the first person she had told that her parents had died. Telling somebody outside of her family was harder than she expected it to be. He held her like that for a few minutes until footsteps were heard coming up the steps.

* * *

"George, there you are! I was wondering where you were at…." Hermione heard Fred's voice trail off as he came to a stop. The two pulled apart and Hermione wiped her eyes quickly.

"Hello Hermione," he said quietly, gazing at the two curiously. Hermione lowered her eyes. She did not really want to go over the whole conversation she just had with George again. When she did not answer, George spoke up.

"Hermione and I ran into each other outside, so I invited her up to lunch…" George's voice sounded awkward, and she decided that it was time to leave. She had extended her stay long enough.

"Yes, it was very good. Thank you, George. I really ought to get going now though." She quickly wiped the rest of her tears and stood up to leave. He got up as well, though when she started walking towards the door he stopped her.

"I really am sorry, Hermione. Please don't be a stranger. We're your friends too." He nodded at Fred when he said that. Hermione nodded quietly before she walked down the stairs after saying a quick goodbye. She did not mean to take off so quickly like she did, but she could only handle talking to one person right then.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's note: Wow, I'm happy to see that this story is gaining some interest! Thanks everybody! I really am just writing this story for fun though. I wrote this chapter for those of you who have shown interest in it so far! So far this story is A/U because Fred IS alive still along with Lavender Brown. Hermione's parents are also dead. It actually took me awhile to write chapter two because I kept going back and forth on this choice. But I am happy with how it turned out. I'm sorry for deleting the chapter one time. I have finally gotten the hang of adding chapters, so the next chapter should only be added once. I hope you enjoy chapter three! It is told in George's point of view. Please review! Disclaimer: I do not own the world of Harry Potter. The lovely J.K. Rowling does. I am only writing this for fun. If I did own Harry Potter, Fred Weasley would still be alive.**

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**George's POV**

George tried to come up with something to say that would make Hermione stay, but he could not come up with anything. He opened his mouth a couple of times, but no words came out. Hermione was long gone anyway though. He sighed instead and sat down, covering his head with his hands. It was no wonder why he was not seeing anybody then. He could not even come up with comforting words right then. He could feel that Fred's eyes were on him without even looking up.

"Merlin, what in the world was that about?" Fred asked incredulously as George looked up again. He shrugged as he picked up the plates to carry them to the kitchen sink. "I just wanted her to know that she was still missed by us even though Ron doesn't really want to talk to her anymore." He turned around and saw that Fred was standing there quietly with his hands in his pockets. "What?" He demanded, knowing that he wanted to say something.

"It is going to be an awkward situation for all of us," Fred answered quietly. George raised an eyebrow. "So? If Ron can't handle it then it is _his_ problem. She needs friends right now. Her parents_ died_, Freddie. They were killed by Death Eaters." Fred's eyes widened as he heard that news.

"In fact, I think that I am going to pay ickle Ronniekins a visit," George said, getting his jacket on.

"I do not think that is a good idea," Fred said slowly, following his twin brother downstairs to their shop.

"Why not?"

"Mum just informed me that he is back together with Lavender Brown again." George accidently dropped the glass that he had been holding in his hands when he heard that news. His eyes widened, and he shook his head. "Merlin… well I am still going to pay him a visit," George grumbled, and he disapperated with Fred following suit.

* * *

George was always glad to be home. This time was no different, and when the twins walked in, they saw that everybody was eating. George was pleased to see that Harry Potter was sitting there with their sister, Ginny. They had recently started going out again after the war ended. Molly Weasley's fork fell against her plate as she saw them walk through the front door.

"OH! Fred! George! We were not expecting you to be here until the weekend!" She said happily, clapping her hands together and immediately standing up to fix them a bowl of soup and bread. She was beaming at them as she waved her wand in the air to get the bowls.

"Yeah, well we wanted to surprise everybody," Fred said, answering before George could. George wasn't paying attention though. His eyes had spotted his little brother and his girlfriend, Lavender. "Hello little brother," George said lightly, taking a seat in front of the two. He saw that Ron's eyes narrowed suspiciously at the tone he used. George heard Fred sigh helplessly as he took the seat beside him.

"I see you moved on quickly," George noted airily, and he could see that the comment struck a nerve.

"My love life is none of your business, George," Ron grumbled angrily as he began stuffing more bread in his mouth. The sight caused Lavender to roll her eyes and shake her head. "Honestly Won-Won, how many times have I told you not to talk with your mouthful? Here, you've got some food on your mouth," She trailed off and picked up his napkin to clean his mouth for him. George glanced at Fred sideways, and saw that the corners of his mouth had twitched in amusement at the nickname Lavender used for Ron. He was pleased to see that he was going to be on his side after all. Ron had seen the twins pass looks at each other, and George knew that had made him angry. He knocked her hand away and took his napkin from her.

"I can take care of it myself!" he snapped, and Lavender sighed as she looked down at her bowl. She put her spoon down and stood up. "Fine! If you don't think you need me then I am going for a walk!" She stormed out the door, and Ron glared at the two.

"Why did you two have to show up here _today?" _Ron asked them angrily. The twins looked at each other in amusement.

"That was all you, Ickle Ronniekins," Fred teased him happily. Their mother sighed from across the table.

"Boys, can't you leave your brother alone just this once?" She asked in an exasperated voice.

"They didn't start it that time," Ginny and Harry said together at the same time. The twins glanced at each other again. George thought about teasing her about how Ginny and Harry were a perfect fit for saying things at the same time. But then he realized she did get them out of another lecture from their mother. He instead smiled gratefully at her, and she answered back with a grin.

"May I be excused?" Ron asked, standing up and began picking up his dishes.

"No," The twins answered together at the same time, causing Ron to glare at them angrily. He had been asking their mother permission after all.

"Since when are you two the boss of me?" Ron asked them bitterly, crossing his arms.

"Since we decided that we didn't like your attitude. We came here to talk to you," George answered truthfully, standing up and motioned for Harry and Ron to follow him. Fred glanced at George curiously, though he followed suit. "Sorry mum, we'll be back to finish this," he told her apologetically.

"It'll get cold!" She called after them, but they had already headed off into the living room to have a little talk with their brother and his best friend.

* * *

The twins stood by the fireplace as Ron and Harry sat next to each other on the couch. Ron was looking furious of course. Harry was looking at the twins curiously though.

"What do you guys need to talk to us about?" He asked them curiously.

"Hermione," The twins answered at the same time. Ron and Harry glanced at each other at the same time, and an uncomfortable silence fell between the two.

"Have you two written to her at all these past couple of months?" George asked, and they both started stammering responses at the same time.

"I proposed to her…look how that turned out!" Ron muttered bitterly.

"I've been busy, the door swings both ways though. She hasn't written to us either!" Harry answered quickly, though he fell quiet when George crossed his arms. "So this is how the great friendship of seven years falls apart? All because of a rejected proposal and no written letters? I expected better from you two. Did you know that her parents died?" He glared at the two when they fell silent as they glanced at each other. Harry's face paled slightly as he received the news, and Ron looked out the window.

"No," Harry answered finally, running a hand through his hair nervously.

"Well if you two want a chance to fix your friendship with her, there is your chance. I can't make you repair it, but it is a shame that it is falling apart if you ask me. I thought the war would have helped make you two grow up. Fred and I have," George said crossly, looking at Fred who had been standing next to the fireplace. It was true though. They had seen some of their friends die in the war, and it helped change their perspective in life a little. He watched as Harry looked as if he was deep in thought. Ron seemed like he was having a fight with himself.

Harry glanced sideways at Ron, though George knew he was going to do the right thing before he even said it. "We have to visit her, mate." Ron looked away when Harry said this. "You go on then," he muttered softly. "I can't face her right now. Not after…" his voice trailed off, though it was obvious that he was thinking about the proposal. Harry looked sideways at him. "She would do the same thing for us," he argued, though George knew that it was no use. His brother was wearing the stubborn look he got whenever his mind was made up. He only hoped that his younger brother would come to his senses soon. The twins and Harry left Ron alone with his thoughts in the living room after Harry said that he would head over there soon.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hello everybody! I am excited that I have gotten this far in the story already! It has been awhile since I have written four chapters in a story. I have missed writing fan fiction! I hope you enjoy chapter four! It is back in Hermione's POV again. A couple of days have gone by since George visited the Burrow in chapter three. I think this fact is important to remember because of something that is announced in this chapter. Please review and let me know what you think! Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling does.**

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Hermione had just finished her afternoon shift at St. Mungo's and decided to go home to her flat for the rest of the day. She had just unlocked her door when she felt a hand touch her shoulder. She jumped in fright and whirled around with her wand in her hand. The war may have been over, but people knew who she was and what her role had been in it. She felt like Mad Eye, an Auror who had died on a rescue mission. He had always been extra cautious and jumpy when he was alive. When she saw who had touched her, Hermione nearly dropped her wand to the ground. It was Harry!

Hermione's eyes widened in surprise, and she was torn with deciding whether she should ignore him or hug him. Her legs had frozen in place while they stood in front of each other._ How long had it been since they last saw each other?_ Hermione wondered to herself, though she realized that it had been since they fought at the battle of Hogwarts. She was relieved when Harry was the first one to speak finally.

"Hello, 'Mione," He greeted her softly, and the corners of his mouth twitched into a small smile.

Hermione continued to look at Harry with round eyes. She almost could not believe that he was there right then. "Oh, Harry!" Hermione answered tearfully, throwing herself into his arms to give him a tight hug. She buried her head into his shoulder so he would not see her crying. She was not crying because she was sad for once though.

She felt Harry giving her a couple of awkward pats on the back. Seconds later, she heard him say in a strangled voice, "Hermione, I can't breathe!" Hermione wiped her eyes and quickly apologized to him.

"It's no problem," Harry answered casually, brushing her apology away. Hermione was glad to see that he was still smiling though, and she immediately invited him inside. They had not spoken in a couple of months, and she was curious to know why he showed up unexpectedly like this.

* * *

When they were inside of her flat, she offered to make dinner for him, though he shook his head in response. "No, I had dinner at… awhile ago," he answered, catching himself in the middle of the sentence. Hermione narrowed her eyes slightly at his hesitation, though smiled once again. "It is so good to see you!" Hermione said happily, walking over to her couch finally so they could sit down and talk.

"It's good to see you too, Hermione…I'm sorry I didn't write you," Harry added the last part quickly. Hermione shrugged lightly before answering back. "Me too, I just had so much on my plate…how have you been?" She asked, wanting to avoid talking about herself for a bit.

"Good…I'm living at the Burrow for awhile. Ginny and I are engaged," he said happily, and Hermione widened her eyes in surprise.

"What?" She squealed in delight before hugging Harry tightly again. "Oh my goodness, that is amazing news! Why didn't you write me about that?" She asked when she pulled away. "I have been hoping you two would get together again for ages!"

Harry shrugged sheepishly. "It actually just happened last night… I wanted to tell you in person," he answered finally, though he started grinning. "We've been really good. We don't have a date settled yet because I just asked her yesterday, though Ron thinks…" his voice trailed off, and Hermione could feel her face flushing at the sound of Ron's name. She focused on a coaster sitting on the table in front of her. An awkward silence fell between the two, though she tried to clear her throat to speak, but she could not so she took a drink of her water.

"Did Ron tell you about how he proposed to me?" Hermione asked in a tentative voice finally. She knew that he must have because of the silence that followed after his name was said. Harry stayed quiet for a few moments though he nodded.

"Yeah…he told me about the kiss too," Harry said in a low voice. Hermione turned red and looked down at the coaster again. "Oh," she managed to say. Her voice sounded like it was high pitched, so she took another drink of her water.

Hermione felt like an explanation was necessary because Harry was best friends with both of them. She felt bad about how Harry was caught in the middle of one of their fights again. Hermione was not sure if she and Ron were even fighting, though she knew that they were not talking at the moment. She figured that it would most likely be awhile before they talked again.

"Harry, I'm sorry," Hermione began tentatively. Harry started to look shocked at her apology, but she shook her head quickly and held her hand up so he would let her finish.

"I've ruined our friendship…I thought it would be possible for Ron and I to be more than friends at one point… I let the idea of it grow for awhile. When we kissed, I realized that I didn't have any feelings for him really. I didn't mean to lead him on, I never wanted our friendship to end."

Harry was definitely looking uncomfortable now. "He might just need time," he began, though Hermione knew it was a lost cause. _Harry_ didn't see the look on Ron's face when he left her.

"I just feel awful that you are in the middle of this…that was why I didn't write. I was sure that you wouldn't want to speak to me again," Hermione finished finally.

Harry looked at her as if she had grown a couple of heads or something. "I wouldn't have stopped being your friend because you said no to Ron," he argued, though he fell silent when Hermione gave him a look. They all had stopped talking to each other at the same time after that.

Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair uncomfortably while looking down at the ground. "I'm sorry, Hermione. We should have handled it better… I'm sorry about your parents too."

Hermione looked up at Harry incredulously. How had _he _known about her parents dying? She knew she hadn't said anything about that yet. Nobody else knew outside of her family except for… "_George," _she murmured under her should have thought of him in the first place!

Harry nodded when she said his name. "The twins visited the other day. He told us about your parents, and I knew we had to visit…But he is not the only reason why I am here. I have to ask you a question." Hermione realized that Harry had meant Ron knew as well when he said we. Her heart crushed when she realized that he knew but chose not to come after all. She now knew how angry he was with her then. Hermione shook her head out of her thoughts when Harry spoke again.

"Ginny wanted to here to tell you this, but she said I could tell you…we want you to be the maid of honor." Hermione blinked at the sudden change of subject, though she started beaming and nodded excitedly. A wedding would definitely distract her from thoughts about her parents and Ron!

"There is just one catch though… Ron is going to be the best man."

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**A/N: I thought this chapter would be a filler chapter. And then I decided that Harry should propose to Ginny before visiting Hermione. I thought it would make the story happier after all the intense chapters! I don't think it is a perfect chapter, but it is better than how I thought it would originally turn out! I even updated twice this weekend! The writing process is funny though. It doesn't always go the way it is planned…**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey everybody! This will probably be my last update for a couple of weeks unless I write more this week! Anyway, please leave a review for this story! This is a new one for me to write, so I am still unsure about it. I have a habit of not finishing stories, but I am determined to finish this one! I had a bit of writer's block while writing this chapter, so this is the result of it! It is also told in three point of views, but not all at once. I hope you like it! Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling does.**

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Hermione sat back down on her couch after Harry left, deep in thought. She absentmindedly reached down to pet Crookshanks, who had rubbed up against her legs and started purring. The sound made her smile, though she did not pick him up.

Harry was getting married to Ginny. Hermione was going to be the maid of honor. She was rather excited and honored about that part. _Ron_ was going to be the best man. Hermione wasn't looking forward to that part, though she realized that they were going to have to talk during the times the best man and the maid of honor collaborated in their duties. It would be her chance to make up to him as friends! He couldn't ignore her then. Hermione was grateful that Harry had come over to talk to her and that he had forgiven her. She only wished that Ron had as well. If only George had gotten through to his brother…. She paused while taking a drink of her water when she thought about George. He was the one that told Harry to come visit her. Hermione made up her mind to visit George to thank him for talking to her friends. She decided that she wasn't mad at all for him telling them about her parents. Hermione grabbed her jacket and went outside to go down the street.

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**George's POV**

George Weasley had his nose buried in a clipboard and kept checking items off of the list. Today was inventory day, and the twins had Weasleys' Wizard Weezes closed for the afternoon so they could complete the task.

"Do we have self writing quills?" He called out to Fred, who was across the store rummaging through boxes for him. He waited a few seconds, and he heard Fred yell, "GOT IT!"

"Pygmy Puffs?" Fred gave him the thumbs up when he found them. They kept going back and forth, though he seemed like he was getting further and further away.

He looked up after checking more items off their list and saw that Hermione Granger was standing outside of their shop. A grin spread across his face when he saw her. He immediately figured that her visit this time must have meant that Harry had visited her and that his mission had been accomplished. He walked over toward the door to open it for her. The shop was closed right then, but George could gladly use a distraction then.

"Hey Granger," He greeted her with his usual greeting smiled while standing aside to let her in. At the sound of the bell dinging, he saw that Fred had poked his head out of the aisle to see who had arrived. Hermione grinned back at George and waved at Fred when she spotted him. George was pleased to see that she seemed more cheerful during this visit than she did the last time he saw her.

"What do we owe to the pleasure of this visit?" Fred asked teasingly, and Hermione looked over her shoulder at the sign on their door.

"Well, I saw your help wanted sign on the window for one thing," Hermione began, and George looked at his twin brother. Fred looked equally as awed as George felt then.

"Are my ears deceiving me, Forge?" Fred asked him. George shook his head. "No, I think you heard right, Gred!" The two looked at each other quietly before looking back at Hermione. George knew that Hermione was brilliant at everything she did, so he knew that she would make an excellent addition to their shop. They knew what she had done so far without seeing any applications. Ron had told them everything that had happened when they were out hunting horocruxes. They also did finish You- Know-Who after all. He was just surprised that she still wanted to work for them. He knew that she volunteered at the hospital, but he always expected her to go onto bigger things after that.

Fred nodded at him, and they said together, "You're hired!"

Hermione beamed at the two of them. "Really? I don't have to fill out any paper work or anything?" George looked at her like he thought she was crazy and the twins crossed their arms. He chuckled and shook his head. "No, no, no, no. We know all about you already, Granger."

"Yeah… you can start Wednesday, if you'd like. We can take you to dinner, on us tonight!" George turned to give his twin a look. He raised a questioning eyebrow at Fred, and Fred gave him a meaningful smile that showed him that he was up to something. Only this time, George did not have the slightest idea what he was up to. They never had taken new employer's out to dinner before. He had no idea why they were going to start doing that now. He was about to ask Fred about it when Hermione started speaking again.

"Ok… I'm a bit afraid about what you do know about me though." Hermione said, looking surprised at this treatment as well. She must've gotten over it quickly because she quickly said, "George, I want to thank you for telling Harry about my parents… I wish I hadn't been too stubborn to talk to them first myself." Hermione said quietly, and George flushed slightly.

"It was no problem," he murmured, as he put his hands in his pockets. "I just didn't want a great friendship to go down the drain like that. It would have been a shame." Hermione nodded quietly and seemed like she was deep in thought.

"Did you talk to Ron as well?" The twins looked at each other uncomfortably. George didn't know what to say to this question at all. He didn't want to admit that he had failed getting through to his younger brother.

Fred narrowed his eyes before saying, "Our little brother is a stubborn git…he'll eventually come around. If he does not, we are here for you. Harry is too."

Hermione did not look reassured by this idea, and Fred nudged her slightly. "Cheer up Granger! It is his loss anyway for not wanting to visit you."

George knew that wasn't working, so he closed his inventory notebook and walked over toward where his jacket was. "How about that dinner? I'm starving. We can go to the Leaky Cauldron." The other two nodded and when Hermione headed out the door, George grabbed his twin's arm.

"What is this about?" He demanded quietly, though Fred's smile only grew as he shrugged. "I just figured it would be a perfect way for us to get to know each other that is all!" His eyes wore the innocent look that he usually reserved for their mother and professors when they got in trouble.

"I don't believe you," George murmured, narrowing his eyes. "You are planning something. Why can't I be in on this?" Fred shrugged innocently. "You are imagining things, Gred. Come on, she is waiting!" George muttered something under his breath as he put on his jacket while Fred eagerly headed outside. George knew that he was going to get to the bottom of this one if it was the last thing he would do!

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**Fred's pov**

Fred realized that he had left the shop a little too eagerly. He couldn't help it though. He was excited about getting a chance to know Hermione better. The twins never really hung out with her much before because she had always hung out with Ron and Harry before. But he knew that things were different between them ever since the Battle of Hogwarts had ended. It was their chance to allow her to become friends with them.

On the way to the Leaky Cauldron, he began talking her ear off about the shop. He was rambling nonstop, though he didn't know why he was rambling. George was trailing along beside them and he kept shooting him funny looks. Hermione answered questions in appropriate places, though Fred knew that she wasn't really listening. Fred had thought that talking would help since he knew that she had a lot on her mind. He held the door open for her when they finally reached the restaurant. He continued to ignore the looks George was giving him, which were now becoming suspicious as he pulled out a chair for Hermione when they went to sit down.

Fred was running out of store related topics, so he quickly ran through his mind to think of something else that would be more interesting to her.

"So, what do you two think about Harry and Ginny getting married?" he asked casually as he took a sip of water. That seemed to spark an interest for Hermione. He should have known that would get her attention from the start. It wasn't like she had completely ignored Fred's conversation about the store. She just didn't appear to be in the mood for it. He decided that he would let it slide since it was not her official first day yet.

"It's really surprising, though I'm so happy for them. I always hoped that they would get back together again someday," Hermione said, and Fred nodded casually, taking a sip of his water.

"They are having an engagement party next weekend… since we now all work at the same shop, we could all go together?" He asked hopefully, hoping that he sounded more casual than hopeful. He wondered if he was being too forward, though he wanted to be sure that George was included as well so neither of them would suspect anything.

"All right," Hermione looked thoughtful as she answered him, and he was just about to ask why when they looked up as their food appeared.

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**A/N: Thank you for reading!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: Thanks to everybody who has reviewed, followed and favorited the story so far! It means a lot to me. I love hearing feedback on stories. Please leave a review for this chapter! I will try to update one more time before real life gets busy this month. Disclaimer: I do not own the world of Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling does. I think the song Always by Switchfoot has good lyrics for the story now. They are below. You should listen to it! I do not own the song either. The lyrics do not make this be a song fic. It is just fitting for the mood. Enjoy! **

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_These are the scars deep in your heart_

_This is the place you were born…._

_And this is the hole where most of your_

_soul comes ripping out_

_From the places you've been torn… _

_And I'm always, always, always yours._

Hermione began her first day at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes a few days after she quit volunteering at St. Mungo's. She was glad that she had an actual job, though she was surprised that she was working for the twins now. Hermione had never thought she would be working for them back when they first started making orders back in their Hogwarts days. She hoped that they wouldn't accidently poison her or anything. She stood outside of their shop and mentally braced herself for her first day.

Hermione knocked on the door finally and saw Fred heading over to open it. "Morning, Granger," he said, standing aside to let her in. Hermione smiled a greeting and was glad that he seemed like his old self so far this morning. She thought that he seemed weird when they had dinner together the other night. She didn't know him too well yet though, so she couldn't exactly pinpoint what was weird about him that night.

"Good morning, Fred!" Hermione greeted him, deciding to resist the urge to joke about his behavior from the other night. She didn't think that it would be professional to tease her boss about something like that, even if it was just Fred Weasley. When Fred closed the door, he placed a hand on her shoulder and steered her toward the counter. "I was thinking that we could have you start off by stocking shelves and helping out with inventory," he said casually. Hermione raised an eyebrow curiously because her first task seemed much easier than she expected it to be.

"_That's it?" _Hermione was unable to stop herself from asking that in amazement. This caused a smile to appear on Fred's mouth and he crossed his arms. "Why, did you want to do something more dangerous?" Hermione couldn't help but blush slightly. She thought that he probably said that because of her experience in the past year. "No, I just thought that I would be taste testing or something for you two. You made first years do that, remember?"

Fred's smile continued to grow at the memory, though it made Hermione slightly uncomfortable. "Yes, I remember," he said in that amused tone of his. "I'll be sure to tell George that you want that position tomorrow!"

"That wasn't what I meant…" Hermione sighed though she smiled when she saw that Fred was only joking. She looked around at the mention of George's name. "Where is George anyway?"

"He's away for the day on a business trip. We want to open a shop in Hogsmeade now. We have had that idea for awhile, but the right time never came up until now. Zonko's closed, so we figured that we could serve students directly by buying it or adding a second store. That's why we are hiring more people." Fred answered, and Hermione widened her eyes in surprise. She had no idea that the twins wanted to add onto their business, but she thought that it was actually a brilliant idea.

"Wow, that's a…smart idea," she said, impressed. She wasn't sure if the word smart was correct, but she had to admit that it was almost right.

This caused Fred to grin widely again. "Thanks…we figured that more laughs couldn't hurt after that war. So many people died. We just want to help in our own way." Hermione nodded, and looked down at the list of items. His last words made her think of her parents again, though she knew that he had not meant to make her think about that. The familiar feelings of guilt appeared once more, and she closed her eyes so he couldn't see the pain in them.

_Do not think about them! You are at work! _ Hermione told herself sternly. She couldn't start crying now. She admitted that she was doing better sometimes, but the loss of her parents was still great. Sometimes the smallest thing like this set her off. She hated it. She swallowed to help keep her throat from tightening up and opened her eyes. When Hermione opened them, she saw that Fred was giving her a concerned look. When he opened his mouth to talk, Hermione shook her head and grabbed a box that was on the counter.

"I'm sorry, I need a minute…I'll just sort this out first," she said, before walking toward the furthest aisle away from the counter. She had to have this moment to collect herself or she would never make it through the work day. She sank onto the floor and set the box on the ground before burying her head in her hands. Hermione did not plan on giving in to her tears, but that is what happened when she sat down.

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**Fred's POV**

Fred could have kicked himself for not watching what he was saying around Hermione. He knew that talk about war was bound to upset her, but he had forgotten until after the damage was done. He had thought about leaving her be for a few moments, but then he realized that she had taken one of the boxes that held contents for a new invention that him and George wanted to work on. When he made up his mind to find her, he kept reminding himself to be gentle.

"Be George!" He muttered to himself. George was better at comforting people than he was. Fred often felt uncomfortable and wanted to avoid these types of moments as often as possible. He knew that he could not really be George. He was just Fred Weasley after all.

Fred finally found Hermione, though it did not take long at all to find her. When he found her, she had her head in her hands and sounded like she was sobbing quietly to herself. His heart sank as he stood there looking down at her. He could not imagine what she was going through right then. He had both of his parents still, though Fred's father almost died in his seventh year. Fred decided that he couldn't avoid Hermione like he usually did in situations like this. He hated seeing her like this. He may have been more outgoing of the two twins, but he was not cruel.

Fred slowly knelt down next to her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Hermione," he murmured softly. The gesture seemed to have made Hermione cry even harder. She still didn't look up, though she did shake her head and waved him away. Fred would normally have welcomed this demand, but he was determined to help this time.

"Hermione…look at me, please," He said in a pleading voice. She shook her head again, and he moved closer to her and pulled her into his arms. She finally moved her hands away from her face, though she leaned her head against his shoulder and continued to cry. His heart fell again at the sight of this.

Fred was at a loss for words, but he had to say something. Even if he just rambled on like he usually did when he was nervous. "Hermione…I'm…so sorry." Fred rested his chin on her head and absentmindedly ran his hands through her hair. He realized for the first time how pretty it was, though he shook the thought away.

"I can't imagine what you are going through, though I lost one of my best friends. Lee Jordan died. He died at Hogwarts in an explosion. It sucks…we had all of these plans together. He was like our third musketeer. He was always willing to go along with our pranks. He was so brave."

Fred's voice sounded distant to him while he remembered the times the twins went on Potterwatch with Lee. His hung his head as he remembered several memories with Lee Jordan. He shook his head and looked down at her again. She had stopped shaking, and looked up at him with watery eyes. "I'm sorry," Hermione said in a tiny voice.

Fred shrugged and cleared his throat nervously before speaking again. He was not the one that needed to be comforted this time. "Losing people is hard…I'm just thankful for what I have now though. I still have my siblings, my parents, and my twin." He cupped her face lifted it up gently and looked directly down into her eyes. "You still have people that care for you in your life. You have Harry, Ginny, your teachers…" He couldn't help but chuckle lightly at that one. The teachers at school always thought very highly of her. "You also have George and I," he added as an afterthought.

Hermione closed her eyes again and shook her head lightly. "I can't have all of that," she whispered. Fred watched her open her eyes and look off into the corner as if it had suddenly grown interesting. He opened his mouth to ask why not, but he closed it again. _Patience,_ he ordered himself sternly.

A moment later, Hermione spoke again. "I can't have all of that because it's _my _fault that my parents are dead. It's _my _fault that they didn't have their real memories when they died. I didn't even get to say goodbye. I failed them, Fred. I was supposed to be able to come back for them. But I was too late. I was too late." Her voice had gone softer as she said those last words.

Fred brushed his thumbs against her cheeks to dry her tears and looked into her eyes again. "_No_," he began in a harsh tone. "It is not your fault. You did not kill your parents. The Death Eaters did. You were giving them their best shot at living while our world was at war. You protected them the best way you knew how, and you know what? I think it was brave. It must have been hard for you to know that they didn't remember you anymore. But you sacrificed yourself for their safety. _Do not_ feel guilty about their deaths. You did the best you could do." When Fred finished saying that, he brushed her hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ears.

* * *

Hermione began looking up at him as if she was seeing him in a different light. She startled him slightly when she threw her arms around his shoulder and hugged him tightly. But Fred relaxed after a second and wrapped his arms around her as well. Hermione pulled away from him after several moments, and she took in a few gasping breaths. He was relieved to see that she was not crying anymore though. Fred had to fight back a small smile when he saw that. _He had successfully comforted somebody! _He thought happily to himself. _Wait until he told George about this!_ He shook his head as soon as that last thought came. He felt like this moment was too private to be shared, even with his twin. He decided not to tell George about this when he came back.

Hermione sat up straight and looked at him in the eyes again. "Th…t-thank you. I'm sorry for starting the day off like this. I'm sorry that I made you open the shop late."

Fred gave her a genuine smile, which was rare to be seen on him. "Don't worry about it," he said calmly, shrugging. He decided that now would be the time to gently take the box away from her. "This box is top secret though." He reached for her hand and pulled her up. "I'll show you where yours are at." Hermione nodded, though when he was about to turn, she reached over and hugged him again. This caused Fred to smile again even though she could not see it.

"Thanks for being my friend…especially after what I did to your brother," she murmured, and he nodded casually. "George and I will always be there for you," Fred answered in a low voice while brushing her cheek with his thumb softly. He placed a grin on his face and pulled her toward the registers again, hoping that the day would go much better for her now.

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**A/N: I decided that Lee Jordan died in the same way that Fred died since Fred is alive in this story. I hope nobody minds that too much! Thank you for reading! Please leave a review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: I am sorry that it has taken me so long to update this story. I went on vacation for two weeks with my family and did not have time to finish this chapter before I left. I can't believe that I have made it this far already! I'm quite happy with how this story is turning out so far. Thank you to everybody who reviewed the last chapter! Disclaimer: I still don't own Harry Potter. J. does. Please leave a review!**

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Hermione woke earlier than usual on Saturday morning. Saturdays were usually her days to sleep in, though she couldn't fall back asleep for some reason. She suddenly realized why a few moments later. She was going to see Ron again for the first time since he proposed to her! That realization caused her to sit up and get out of bed. Hermione was definitely too nervous to sleep any longer. She was anxious to see him again. She cringed at the memory of the look he gave her that night. Hermione hoped that she would not receive another one, though she thought she probably deserved it after not talking to him for this long.

Hermione was anxious to see Harry as well, though they were all right now. They had written a few times since he visited her. She had thought about writing to Ron again, but she decided that it would probably be best to talk to him in person again. She _hoped _he would not ignore her later that night. He could be quite stubborn when he wanted to be. She still wanted to try to repair their friendship. She did not know if they could be friends like before though.

Hermione sighed when she saw what time it was. It was only just before eight. She couldn't sit here and worry about the night until work started. She had to have a distraction. She decided to go to the twins place to surprise them with breakfast. It would keep Hermione occupied, and she thought it would be a good way to say thank you for what they have done for her. They have become better friends, which surprised her. She never knew what to expect while working with them. Being friends with them still was not the same as being best friends with Ron and Harry. Hermione still missed her friends deeply, though it was nice being around the twins constantly.

* * *

The twin's shop did not open until noontime on weekends, though Hermione was counting on them to be in bed at this hour. It was past eight when she unlocked the door with the key they had given her. She climbed up the stairs and opened their door and saw that neither of them were around.

She smiled to herself before heading toward the kitchen to make breakfast for them. Hermione knew the breakfast would not be a surprise once she started cooking. The smells were bound to wake them up first if the noises did not.

Sure enough, Hermione heard a door open after she started cooking eggs. When she turned around, she saw that it was Fred. He yawned and sleepily ran a hand through his hair. He blinked in surprise when he saw Hermione was there.

"Merlin…Granger, what are you doing here?" He asked her, while walking over toward her.

Hermione met his eyes as he walked closer. "I just wanted to thank you for the other day," She answered, shrugged shyly as he continued to look at her in awe.

"You don't have to do this," Fred started to say, though Hermione waved him off. "It's no trouble, really. Do you like pancakes?" He nodded wordlessly, and she started to make those as well.

"Is there something I can do to help at least?" Fred asked. Hermione was going to say no, but then she caught the look on his face. He looked like he genuinely wanted to help her. She didn't want to stir up any hard feelings by saying no, so she nodded toward the fruit. "You can cut the fruit if you really want to," she answered finally, and he chuckled lightly before standing next to her at the counter. She could not help but notice that their hands had brushed past each other when he reached over to grab the knife that was on the other side of her.

Hermione looked up and saw that Fred was already looking down at her. He was wearing a small, secretive smile that made her feel flushed and warm suddenly on the inside. She did not think it had anything to do with stove either. She started to feel nervous because of the way he was gazing at her, so she quickly looked down and continued preparing breakfast for them.

A second later, she heard someone clearing their throat. Hermione and Fred looked past their shoulders and saw that George was standing at his bedroom doorway with his arms crossed. He was looking at the two suspiciously. Hermione wondered if he had seen the exchange between the two just moments ago. Judging by the look that he was giving them, she thought that he had.

"What's going on here?" George asked them, narrowing his eyes slightly. The other two looked at each other quickly before looking back at him to answer him. "Nothing, really!" Hermione and Fred answered at the same time. She looked at Fred in surprise when they answered George. Fred was looking at her in awe as well, though Hermione was the first to look away. She tried to keep her expression innocent, though the answer made George continue to look at them suspiciously.

George shook his head after watching the two for a moment. "Hermione, you aren't supposed to know that look!" George moaned, walking closer to the two of them. Hermione glanced at George curiously. "What look?" She questioned, as she raised an eyebrow at Fred. Fred was smirking now though and pretended to be busy with cutting the fruit.

"The look that Fred gets when he is trying to fool somebody," George answered. "It is usually reserved for our parents or our professors. You two have it right now."

Hermione shook her head quickly and turned back to the stove. "I don't know what you are talking about. I'm just here to make breakfast." George was now standing next to them. "Fine then… but _Fred_ definitely has that look." Hermione kept her eyes down at these words, though she heard a deep chuckle escape Fred's lips.

"You are imagining things again, Forge. I'm going to set the table now that the fruit is done!" He walked away, though George had leaned against the counter to stare at his twin's back. "I am _not_ imagining things," she heard him mutter to himself. She decided not to answer his comment. A few moments later, breakfast was ready. Hermione was glad when they sat down to eat.

* * *

After a short day of work, Hermione and the twins left that evening to head to the Burrow. Hermione was now fidgeting because of her nerves. When they reached the doorstep, Fred tossed a smile toward her direction. It was almost as if he could sense her anxiety. Hermione swallowed and she felt her face flush again, though she was not sure why. She managed to give him a tiny smile back before Mrs. Weasley opened the door eagerly.

"Fred! George! Oh my goodness, Hermione!" Mrs. Weasley went for the twins at first. When she saw Hermione standing behind them, she pushed past them to hug her tightly. The twins pretended to look extremely offended at the thought of their mother forgetting about hugging them.

" What are Fred and I? Next door neighbors?" George demanded in a hurt tone. Hermione watched as Fred chuckled when he nudged his brother at the side. "We kind of are now, Forge. Our dearest mother forgot about us now that we are living _miles and miles_ away."

"It's such a tragedy really," George murmured sadly, shaking his head and making tsking noises towards her direction. Hermione winced as Mrs. Weasley continued to hug her tightly. "Oh, it's so good to see you again Hermione! I'm so sorry about your parents, you must be devastated!" Hermione caught Fred's eye and he stepped forward toward his mother and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Mum, let Hermione breathe. Ginny wouldn't like it if you killed her maid of honor, right sis?" He looked over across the room toward where Ginny was standing with Harry.

"RIGHT!" Ginny called back loudly. Mrs. Weasley finally let Hermione go while apologizing at the same time. "I'm sorry, dear. It has just been _so long. _I do wish you had stayed here while you were dealing with everything. Ron was supposed to invite you to stay." Hermione turned slightly pink at those words. Ron was supposed to invite her to stay? She definitely never received a letter from him saying that. Her eyes searched the room for him. She couldn't wait for a chance to speak to him again.

Hermione soon found him standing next to the fireplace, looking slightly embarrassed. Her heart sped up quickly in anticipation when she saw him. That feeling quickly faded when she saw somebody standing next to him. Her eyes widened when she saw Lavender Brown. _Lavender Brown? What was she doing there_? Her heart sank. There went her chances of trying to make up with Ron. Lavender got jealous of their friendship during their sixth year. There was no way she would let Ron talk to her in this setting.

She snapped out of it as Mrs. Weasley closed the door. Hermione realized she had not said anything to her yet. "I'm sorry," she began in an apologetic tone. "It has been too long. Work has been keeping me busy," she said, forgetting that she now worked with the twins. She could not use work as an excuse anymore since the twins visited the Burrow weekly. "I hope we will see more of you now that there is a wedding that needs to be planned," Mrs. Weasley told her, before announcing that dinner was ready.

When everybody sat down at the table, Hermione let her eyes stay trained on Ron again for a few moments. Lavender narrowed her eyes and turned her back toward her purposefully. Ron carefully avoided looking at Hermione's direction, though he looked like he was encountering a rant from 'Lav Lav'. She sighed as she took off her coat. It was going to be a long night. She was glad that the twins were sitting on both sides of her.

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**A/N: Thanks for reading! I will try to have chapter 8 out soon!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hey everybody! Sorry this came out later than expected. I ended up working on challenges and got carried away with them. A project may keep me busy for the next few weeks, so I decided that I will try to update every two weeks instead of every week. Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**

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Hermione had just snuggled herself in between the Weasley twins when Mr. Weasley tapped on the glass after everybody had sat down. She tore her eyes away from Ron and looked around. It looked like all of the Weasley siblings were there. She started to pay attention when Mr. Weasley cleared his throat and began speaking.

"It's not every day when our only daughter is getting married. We are so happy to have you in the family, Harry. You have been part of the family ever since you and Ron sat next to each other on the train. So much has happened since that day, good and bad. On that day, our daughter saw you for the first time. And, well…you know what happened after that. We just want to tell you that you are officially a Weasley now. Welcome to the family," Mr. Weasley winked at Harry, who had turned pink. He began shaking hands with Bill and Charlie, who were nearest to him. Ginny had buried her head into her hands, but when she came back up, she was smiling.

Fred and George took that moment to lifted their goblets up and called out " 'Ear, 'ear!"

Hermione chuckled and was the first one to respond to that by lifting her glass as well. Chuckles were heard around the table. Fred and George had been relentless about ear jokes ever since George had his blown off by dark magic. Hermione knew that it was their way of coping with the situation, and she admired them for it. When she raised her goblet, she met Ron's eyes.

The room seemed to have gone still then. He was not wearing the same hurt look he had given her before. This time it was different. It was almost as if he was questioning something. He was searching deep down into her soul. He had not looked at her like _that_ in awhile. Hermione swallowed and ordered herself to breathe. She did not want to blink her eyes because she feared that the connection would be broken if she did.

_Don't lead him on again,_ she scolded herself. Hermione could not help but allow the connection to continue though. She missed him as a friend, and she tried to tell him with her eyes.

"Hermione, would you like some potatoes?" Hermione blinked several times when reality came back into focus. She felt slightly irritated by the distraction. She looked beside her and saw that Fred was holding a bowl toward her.

"Yes please," she answered, not really distinguishing what he had said. She took the bowl and dished the potatoes out. Hermione snuck a peek at Ron again. He looked her way one more time before he started dishing out Lavender's food. Hermione's heart fell. The connection they had moments ago had been dropped.

"You miss him?" Hermione jumped when she heard Fred's quiet voice beside her. Fred and George were both looking sideways at her with great interest.

"Yeah," she admitted finally. "That wasn't what it looked like at all. I just hoped that was a breakthrough. I want him back as my best friend." Hermione was not sure why she was defensive about this. She just knew that she did not want the twins to get the wrong idea about her and Ron.

"We can help you get him back if you want," Fred said slowly after looking like he had been thinking hard about something.

Hermione turned toward him and smiled at him. She was touched by their offer, though she knew how Ron would feel if there were too many people meddling in with them. They had already gone to Harry and Ron once. She knew that it would not work on Ron the second time if it did not work the first time. "Thanks, but I really should do this one by myself. You two have done so much for me already."

The twins both nodded, and Fred suddenly brightened up at something. "Hey, are you ready to be our tester yet?" he asked jokingly. George looked back and forth between the two, and Fred started explaining how Hermione said she wanted to be a tester on her first day of work.

"I did not say that!" Hermione protested, wanting to put a stop to that idea before it went further.

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!" Hermione crossed her arms and stuck her tongue out at Fred. This seemed to have amused him though because he chuckled and said, "Attractive, Granger. Really." Their banter was ended by George, who started talking about an invention he wanted to get started on.

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Hermione was surprised that the dinner had been normal. She was not sure what to expect because Fred had suggested that they all went together. He had been acting strange around her lately, but dinner with the twins had been like old times. She was glad about that because she liked his friendship.

After dinner, everybody went into the living room. Hermione saw that Lavender was not at Ron's side for once, so she decided to take the opportunity to talk to Ron. He spotted her walking over to him right when she made her way toward him and seemed to have grown uncomfortable at the idea of her approaching him. Their eyes met when she stood inches away, and she smiled lightly. "Hi," she said tentatively, feeling warm. This time she was sure that this was because of nerves.

Ron looked all around the room before he sighed and nodded his head toward her. He cleared his throat and spoke finally. "Hi, Hermione." Hermione's heart leapt as he answered her. He was talking to her! Maybe she had a chance after all!

Just when she opened her mouth to start a conversation with him, Lavender came back over and wrapped her hands around his arm. "Ron, I seem to have forgotten where the bathroom is. Would you mind showing me again?" She smiled sweetly at him while ignoring Hermione.

Ron's ears turned pink and he looked even more uncomfortable. "Yeah," he said after a few moments of silence. He looked back at Hermione and opened his mouth a couple of times, but no words came out. He seemed to have finally given up on them and walked away without saying another word.

Hermione watched Lavender pull Ron away. She narrowed her eyes at Lavender and crossed her arms. "That went well," a familiar voice said, and chuckled. Hermione jumped and turned around to see Harry and Ginny standing there. Her eyes brightened and she threw her arms around him first and then hugged Ginny.

"Harry! Ginny! It's so good to see you two again!" Harry wrapped his arms around her and nodded.

"It's good to see you too. How do you like working with the twins?" Ginny wore a mischievous twinkle in her eyes when Harry asked her that, though Hermione had no idea why this time.

"It's great! The store has never looked so good, if I may say so myself." The three easily fell into a conversation as if they had never been apart. Harry finally left to say hello to some more people, leaving Hermione and Ginny alone to talk. They settled into their favorite couch, and Ginny eyed her seriously.

"How are you really, Hermione?" Hermione placed her hands in her lap and looked at the fireplace. She did not like to talk about her feelings about her parents' death, and she especially didn't like talking about Ron either. Both were awkward subjects for her.

"I'm ok most of the time," she answered finally, trying to search for the right words to describe her feelings. "I miss my parents. I miss Ron too. I want to try to make up with him, but I have not had much chance to do so." She pointed toward the direction Lavender and Ron disappeared in, and sighed.

Ginny looked sympathetic, though she also looked like she was lost in thought. "I can probably help you out there. I can probably make up some wedding tradition that will force you guys to spend time together and to talk." Hermione raised an eyebrow. Earlier she did not think she needed any help when Fred and George offered, but she saw she did need some after their short conversation.

"You'd do that for me?" She asked, smiling.

Ginny shrugged her shoulders. "If that is what you want. It'd be a shame to let a friendship go to waste. You do just want to be friends again, right?" Hermione could not help but flush at those words.

"Yes," she said, hoping that her answer sounded confident. She turned down his proposal for a reason. She didn't feel anything for him as more than friends, but she never imagined that her lack of feelings would kill their relationship before.

Ginny stood up. "Ok then. I will write to you when I come up with something. I really am sorry about your parents, by the way. I wish I could have been there for the funeral." Hermione reached over and hugged her friend.

"Thanks," she said softly. She quickly changed the subject. "Congratulations on getting engaged! When is the big day?" Ginny gave Hermione a weird look.

"Harry didn't tell you?" Hermione shook her head. "No…Ron's name got brought up and things got awkward." She shrugged her shoulders to show that it hadn't bothered her, and Ginny nodded understandingly.

"It's this year. Christmas Eve." Hermione's eyes flew up in shock. She had not expected the wedding to be that soon! It was now October, which meant they had less than two months to plan.

"Harry and I decided that we did not want to have a long engagement. The war taught us that life is short, you know? I'm also off of school then. We would have had to wait until next summer if we waited longer," Ginny said in a casual tone. She looked over at Harry and watched him talk to one of her cousins with an affectionate smile.

Hermione's eyes found Fred when Ginny said life was short. She was not sure why they had gone to him though. He was taking turns playing Exploding Snap with George and Charlie.

"I can understand that," Hermione answered softly, thinking about her reasons for why she had broken up with Ron. She quickly looked away from Fred when Ginny turned to her again.

Her friend reached over and gave her a hug. "I should get going now. Aunt Muriel just went over to Harry. I must rescue him from her," she said, rolling her eyes. Hermione smiled and the two hugged tightly. Hermione watched the newly engaged couple from the sidelines. She could not help but wonder when it would be her turn to be in love.

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**A/N: Things are about to get interesting in this story now! The next chapter will have more Fred in it. I am already halfway finished with writing it. Thanks for reading! Please leave a review!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: I'm sorry this update was so slow. I had a report to work on as well as other stuff. I plan to update every 2-3 weeks now until December. Thank you to all who reviewed, followed, and favorited this story. It means a lot to me! This story has been entered in the "Prove Me Wrong" Challenge and the first chapter has been entered into the 50 Ways to Say Goodbye Challenge. Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. J. K. Rowling does.**

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** Fred's POV**

Fred sighed when Charlie and George went back to the twin's flat for the night after Ginny's engagement party was over. He felt disappointed with how the evening went. It did not turn out the way he wanted it to at all. He had expected to spend more time with Hermione since she came to the party with Fred and George, but they only saw each other at the dinner table. Charlie and George got out some Firewhiskey. They started talking a mile a minute as if they had not seen each other in ages. Fred suddenly realized that they had not seen Charlie since the battle of Hogwarts, so he supposed that was why. It took awhile for them to realize that Fred was not joining in the conversation.

Fred crossed his arms on the counter. He placed his chin on top of them and stared at the stove in front of him. It was then when Charlie and George glanced at each other before giving Fred a strange look.

"You ok, Forge?" George asked him, walking over to stand next to him.

Fred let out a sigh before mumbling, "I'm fine." George raised an eyebrow before looking at their older brother.

"You don't sound fine. What's up?" He questioned him, and Charlie walked over to stand on the other side of him. He handed him a bottle of Firewhiskey. Fred opened it and took a swallow of it while glancing at the two. He wondered if he really should tell them what was on his mind then. Guys never shared their emotions like girls did, but George sometimes knew what was going on without words even being said between the two. It was because of their twin connection though. He wished that this was one of the times, but George looked oblivious to what was going on.

Fred took a deep breath before deciding that he should talk to them before he started acting out on the mood he was in.

"It's stupid…but do you…think Hermione wants to get back together with Ron?" He asked. He hoped he did not sound too worried. He could not stop thinking about the way Ron and Hermione had looked at each other at the dinner table earlier that night. There was no way that the look they had shared was just a friendly look. It had a look of longing in it, and something else that Fred could not put his finger on.

Comprehension suddenly filled George's face, and Charlie glanced at the two curiously.

"Why do you ask?" George asked skeptically. Fred shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. He had planned to keep his crush on her quiet because they worked together, and because he was not sure how the girl felt about him. There was also Ron to consider as well. Fred knew that his little brother would see it as betrayal if he actually acted out on his feelings.

"I just did not think she sounded convincing when she said she just wanted him back as friends," Fred answered simply, taking another swallow of his drink for a distraction.

George narrowed his eyes and remained quiet for several seconds. "You want to know what I think?" Fred opened his mouth to answer that, but George beat him to it. "I think you _like_ Granger. That is why you are asking about her. That is why you have been acting so strange lately, isn't it?"

Fred widened his eyes as Charlie and George grinned at him. He nervously ran a hand through his hair. He could deny the facts, but George was grinning at him as if he had caught him in a huge secret. Charlie even looked at him knowingly. "I…Maybe," Fred finally allowed himself to say. George raised an eyebrow and snorted at this response.

"What are you going to do about it?" George asked him curiously. Fred sighed and took another swallow of his drink. For once in his life, he did not have a single plan on how to get the girl. Back at Hogwarts, he had thought dating was so simple. He had asked Angelina out to prove to Ron how simple it was. But this wasn't just _any_ girl. This was Hermione Granger. She was his younger brother's best friend.

"I don't know," Fred answered quietly. _Would it be worth it to ask her out on a date?_ He wondered to himself. The thought did give him a tiny bit of hope.

"Well, I think you should pluck up some of your old Gryffindor courage," Charlie said, holding his drink up as if he was giving a toast.

George grinned and nodded good-naturedly. " 'Ear 'ear!" he cheered loudly, causing the three to laugh and shake their heads. Fred rolled his eyes at the old joke again. George liked to say this joke at any given opportunity. He said it enough to the point it was getting old, but Fred did not want to spoil it for him.

"We'll see," he said, purposefully avoiding making a promise he might not be able to keep. This seemed to satisfy them because Charlie and George grinned. They raised their glasses and clanked them together before finishing their drinks for the night.

Fred Weasley was not one to back down from challenges, but he was not sure how he was going to win this one.

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**Hermione's POV**

Hermione received a letter from Ginny the day after the engagement party. Ginny had come up with a plan as she said she would. Hermione and Ron were supposed to plan a bachelorette/bachelor party together for Harry and Ginny. Neither of them knew what to call a combined party, but they were willing to change some of the traditions for Ron and Hermione's sake.

Hermione had responded to Ginny with her approval immediately after she received the letter. Ginny had already told Ron about the plan, but she was leaving it up to the two of them to get together. Hermione sent him a letter asking if he wanted to meet up that evening because she was off that day. She was surprised at how easily it was to write to him after all this time.

The thought immediately caused her to feel guilty when she remembered the last time they had written to each other. It was back when they were best friends before Bill and Fleur's wedding. That event felt so long ago, Hermione thought to herself. She was going to make things right again though.

Hermione did not have to wait for a response for long. She was in the middle of reading a book when her owl came back with Ron's letter. She scanned it over a couple of times because she did not dare believe her eyes at first.

_ How does 5:30 at your flat sound?_

_ -Ron_

_ Ron- That sounds good! I will see you then._

_ -Hermione_

She paused while she reread her response over again to make sure she was satisfied with it before sending her owl off. When it left, she looked around the house and began cleaning. There was no way she could get through the next few hours with nothing to do, so cleaning helped with her anticipation a little.

After the flat was straightened up, Hermione changed clothes but decided against doing anything to her hair or putting make up on. She did not want to seem like she was trying too hard.

Five thirty arrived quickly, causing Hermione's nerves to change into anxiety. A few moments later her heart leapt to her throat when she heard a knock on the door. She quickly opened the door and saw Ron standing there. He had his hands in his pockets like he usually did in awkward situations. But he wore a small smile. The smile was enough to cause her hand to stay glued on the doorknob.

"Hello, Hermione," Ron said softly, lifting his eyes to meet hers again. Hermione ordered herself to say something, but she couldn't. Her mind seemed to have drawn a blank and she seemed to have forgotten how to move.

He raised an eyebrow at her when she did not say anything, though he gave her a normal smile. "Are you going to invite me in, or are you just going to leave me standing out here all night?" Ron asked her teasingly.

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**A/N: I'm sorry for leaving this on a cliffhanger. Thank you for reading! Please review!**


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